In fact, maintaining a broad gene pool of crop varieties suited to different climate conditions is the best way to ensure that we survive climate change. In addition, low-tech methods such as using cover crops, incorporating lots of organic matter into soil, managing water flow, and growing a wide variety of crops as insurance, are tried and tested ways of building resilience into farming systems.

Conventional plant breeding is effective in developing crops for different climate conditions. Here are a few examples.

New maize could prepare farmers for climate change (September 2010)New varieties of drought-tolerant maize could deliver a US$1.5 billion gain in food and income in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as helping smallholders cope with the effects of climate change, according to a study carried out in 13 countries in the region.

Pearl millet, sorghum, chickpea, pigeon pea and groundnut

ICRISAT develops climate change-ready varieties (June 2009)When the world gets warmer with climate change, the dryland tracts will become even drier, making it more difficult for the farmers to grow crops in this region. The improved crops developed by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) and partners are able to withstand severe droughts, tolerate higher temperatures and mature early, enabling the farmers to be ready to meet the challenges of climate change. The new crops include pearl millet, sorghum, chickpea, pigeon pea and groundnut.

Indigenous rice better than GM for dealing with stress (October 2007)A New Delhi-based NGO, together with farmers from nine Indian states, has developed a register documenting over 2,000 indigenous rice varieties. They say GM rice strains are not only costly to cultivate but also are a poor match to the native strains in fighting pests, diseases and environmental fluctuations.

Wheat, potatoes, rice and other crops

Hybrid crops without the GM (August 2013)British researchers are leading a global project to track down and store wild relatives of common crops - to help breed hybrids with higher yields that could be resistant to the effects of climate change.